<H1>Background</H1>

<P>The Linux Audio Developer's Simple Plugin API (LADSPA) originates
in frustration on the part of <A
HREF="mailto:richard@muse.demon.co.uk">Richard Furse</A> with the lack
of consensus on a standard audio plugin API for Linux. The API is
intended to describe a very light-weight plugin form that can be
handled by many types of host. To achieve this simplicity various
compromises are made, notably the presence of only one data type
(float).</P>

<P>Technical documentation is contained in the <A
HREF="ladspa.h.txt"><CODE>ladspa.h</CODE></A> header file. When
clashes occur between this file and external documentation then the
header file should be considered the definitive version.</P>

<P>The <CODE>ladspa.h</CODE> header file includes direct contributions
by Richard W.E. Furse, Paul Barton-Davis and Stefan Westerfeld. Many
additional contributions have been made by the members of the Linux
Audio Developer's mailing list after whom the plugin is named. Thanks
in particular to Alexander Konig.</P>

